Born and raised in Maun, Botswana, I’m Christinah Matlhare—an environmental scientist deeply passionate about helping local communities connect with and protect the natural world around them. After earning my BSc in Environmental Science from Pune University in India, I brought that knowledge back home to make a grounded, lasting impact. Since January 2026, I’ve served as the Senior Trainer and Sustainability & Community Empowerment Coordinator for the Junior Ranger. My day-to-day involves a bit of everything: creating hands-on workbooks that engage young learners through the Head, Heart, and Hand philosophy, managing our Facebook and TikTok channels, and bringing people together for events like Earth Day. I also host community Kgotla workshops, teaching residents how to use local resources—like the Thamalakane River and Maun palm trees—sustainably while turning everyday waste into crafts to earn a living.

For me, environmental education is about giving people the confidence to make choices that truly benefit their surroundings. Two experiences stand out as personal highlights. First, leading our Term 2 Water theme allowed me to design a curriculum centered on the Okavango Delta, blending traditional indigenous wisdom with modern science. Seeing young learners light up and bring water-saving habits back to their homes was incredibly rewarding. Second, coordinating our eco-friendly financial literacy workshop was deeply fulfilling. Most of our participants were women who went on to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives—a powerful shift, because empowering women directly transforms entire households.

What I love most about my work is that no two days are ever the same. It offers constant room to innovate and craft programs that genuinely resonate with the people of Ngamiland. My ultimate goal is simple: to inspire our community to value our incredible ecosystems and equip them with the tools to care for our environment for generations to come.